Single Slam: Scene Queen, Caustic Waves, Fangs Out, 601, Between the Buried and Me, Devilhusk, Frayle, Karma’s Puppet, Acres, IAN, downcast, Rise of the Northstar, HRTLSS, Within Reach, Those Once Loyal, Softcult and Orbit Culture!

Today’s single slam features Scene Queen, Caustic Waves, Fangs Out, 601, Between the Buried and Me, Devilhusk, Frayle, Karma’s Puppet, Acres, IAN, downcast, Rise of the Northstar, HRTLSS, Within Reach, Those Once Loyal, Softcult and Orbit Culture. You can read our thoughts about the latest singles from these bands below.

Scene Queen – Platform Shoes

Break out your roller skates and disco balls, because Scene Queen is throwing a party and you’re all invited. Scene Queen, aka Hannah Collins, is ready to dazzle with an all-new track: ‘Platform Shoes’. The sassy new song takes aim at the fragile egos of men.

Scene Queen shares:

As my final instalment of disco summer, I wanted to make a song I felt like a lot of women can relate to. Having the massive personality I do, I noticed while dating, a lot of men think they want someone who is independent and opinionated. That charisma is something you’re initially attracted to, but as time goes on, a lot of men start to feel insecure that they’re not the “alpha” in the relationship. They’re about equality until it makes them question their masculinity. This song is about not letting men like this make you smaller. And I say all that in the most me way I could’ve, calling those men short. Because at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter how tall a guy is – men take note – it’s about how confident a man is that makes them hot.

As always, Scene Queen tackles an interesting and relatable subject with a ton of emphatic flair, a ton of infectious energy, and a ton of danceable volatility. This disco summer period of Scene Queen’s music has been a lot of fun, and this track wraps it up in style. Love Scene Queen or hate Scene Queen, that fact is undeniable.

Caustic Waves – Escape Your Fate

Melodic alternative rock / post-hardcore with a pinch of late-90s nostalgia, it’s Caustic Waves and the journey to the new album, ‘Echoes’ (out October 10th) begins to come to an end with the final single, ‘Escape Your Fate’.

The final single before the full album drops is a strong one, showing off even more catchy alternative energy and groove. A bit poppier in places, putting the vocals (which are great) in a more prominent position, and with just enough rock nostalgia to warm the soul. The journey to this release has been really enjoyable, and if there were any doubts that this new album was going to be impressive, those should disappear now. Check it out here.

Fangs Out – This Place is Dead

Fangs Out, the Birmingham based hardcore punk band, are back with a brand-new single called ‘This Place Is Dead’. A hard-hitting commentary on decay, detachment, and the slow suffocation of toxic environments.

Fangs Out deliver quite an interesting track here. One that displays hyperactivity, blasts of hardcore intensity, a garish rawness that comes from the punky side, and some alternative rockiness that gives it an unexpected catchiness. It’s cool. Check it out here.

601 – Inkblood (feat. Adam Sedgwick of Tribe of Ghosts)

The electronic/breakbeat duo 601 are back with a brand-new single ‘Inkblood’. It comes from their new LP, ‘We Are Not the Same’ dropping on November 7th via SeeHear Recordings.

There’s nothing wrong with stepping out of your comfort zone and giving something like this a try. Especially when electronica is so prevalent in the rock, metal, and alternative world anyway. It certainly helps when it features a guest like Adam of Tribe of Ghosts (who can do nothing wrong in our eyes) and has a captivating quality that grips tighter as it goes on. It’s experimental, it’s weird, but it is quite wonderful too. Check it out here.

Between the Buried and Me – The Blue Nowhere

Between the Buried and Me unveil the third and final preview from their forthcoming album, The Blue Nowhere (12th September, InsideOutMusic), with the release of the album’s title track.

Says guitarist Paul Waggoner:

’The Blue Nowhere’ is perhaps the most glaringly peculiar track on the album, in that it is an exercise in simplicity… something we aren’t exactly known for. We built most of the tune from just a very basic chordal vamp, which really captured a vibe that we wanted to live in for the duration of the song. There are a few dynamic shifts in there but they are much more subtle than folks might expect. We love how this thing turned out, and feel like it sits perfectly in the context of the album as a whole.

What an album this is going to be, even if the overall vibe has proven to be difficult to understand because each single has been so different. How exciting is that? And let us not forget that each track, including this deeply dramatic, magnificent melodic, and daringly cinematic effort, has been nothing short of brilliant. This is lovely, and trust me, it will be stuck in the mind for hours afterwards.

Devilhusk – Vitriol

Fresh off the back of their explosive appearance at Bloodstock 2025, UK-based Nu-Metalcore innovators Devilhusk have released their highly anticipated third single ‘Vitriol’.

On freaking fire at the moment, Devilhusk keep their momentum going with a brash and bullish blast of heavy energy that expertly genre bends to the point of madness. It’s a fitting and spitting example of explosivity that thrills. It’s time everyone started giving this band the attention they deserve. Check it out here.

Frayle – Heretic

Following recent sonic gifts of grimness ‘Walking Wounded’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’ (Lana Del Rey cover) – both of which saw rabid response from acclaimed media and fans alike – Frayle return fresh off of their European tour, including a standout performance at Bloodstock festival, with a third single, the slinking, doom-rocking ‘Heretic’. The track appears on the band’s upcoming third full length album, Heretics & Lullabies, out 10th October 2025 via Napalm Records.

Frayle comment on the single:

‘Heretic’ explores the nature of heresy, spiritual struggle and the rejection of religious dogma. Just because we reject spiritual conformity and societal norms, does this, in and of itself, make us a “bad person”? Is god a supreme being, the collective subconscious, or simply an ideal? We believe that relying on yourself and your own morals can ultimately evolve into being your own savior. We are all gods.

Dark, dramatic, and downright dreamy, this latest Frayle single is as esoteric as ever. However, the fact that it has a catchier chorus and a certain amount of accessibility is intriguing. Frayle have always had wider appeal than your average goth-doom band, but this side of them is certainly expanding if this single is anything to go on.

Karma’s Puppet – Fall with Me

Five-piece melodic metal band, Karma’s Puppet are back with their brand-new single ‘Fall with Me’. It is the first new music from the band since the release of their debut album in back in October 2023.

Fall With Me centres around the journey of two lost souls, who meet whilst traversing through the unnerving and surreal world within their own dreams. The two embark on a journey to find each other in the waking world, discovering that a leap of faith is all it takes. The song captures one element of a wider concept entitled ‘The Lucid Ones’.

It’s great to have Karma’s Puppet back, and even better that it comes with a memorable blast of melodic metal. The group showing off a more refined edge, a stronger focus on being anthemic, while keeping the heaviness front and centre. It’s a class track. Check it out here.

Acres – Welcome to the Family

British metallers Acres have unveiled their powerful new single ‘Welcome to the Family’, taken from the extended edition of their acclaimed recent album The Host, due for release on September 26th via Solid State Records.

Serving as both a continuation and completion of the original record, the expanded edition of The Host introduces three brand-new tracks (including recent single ‘Push Me Away feat. Landon Tewers’) that further showcase the band’s dynamic and emotive approach to modern metal.

Speaking about the new single, Acres share:

Welcome to the Family is about how bi polar and mental health issues run in my family and how they have been passed down, from generation to generation. For a long time I didn’t understand why my family would want to have children knowing this and it’s written within that mindset. I felt it fit perfectly with “the host,” carrying something with you so insidious without being given a choice always seemed unfair.

Experimental, but bloody intense, this new Acres track is downright dangerous sounding. Showcasing serrated metal instrumentation, feral-like vocals, and a pulsating electronica infusion that gives the whole thing a darker feel. It’s a track that embodies the subject matter, sounding suitably Acres, but wholly unique too. Check it out here.

IAN – Fennel

IAN are refreshing newcomers in the UK’s heavy underground. The East London based quintet will be releasing their stirring debut album Come on Everybody, Let’s Do Nothing! on Vinyl and Digital via independent label Human Worth on October 17th. In the meantime, fans can wrap their ears around the first single, ‘Fennel’, out now.

Says the band:

‘Fennel’ is a classic tale of trying to have a romantic evening but realising you would both rather be watching Midsomer Murders.

Throw in a little bit of drone, a dash of post, a dollop of noise, and a heap load of experimental metal heaviness, and you kind of get IAN and this track. A cacophony of ugly, addictive, and vibrant sounds. It’s not for everyone, but everyone that does give it a go will find themselves charmed by it. Check it out here.

downcast – Just Want You to Know (Backstreet Boys Cover)

How do you go from rising stars of the UK emo/alt-rock scene to a US multi-million selling boyband overnight. Well, maybe you don’t, but Bristol natives downcast have done the next best thing. They’ve temporarily packed away the flannel shirts and Vans and embraced all things light and fluffy with their brand-new single – an emo rock take on Backstreet Boys smash hit Just Want You to Know.

Each to our own, eh? An emo-tinged alternative rock cover of Backstreet Boys’ Just Want You to Know isn’t the sort of thing I would normally want to hear, but with an open-mind, I can admit that downcast do a mighty fine job of making it their own, while keeping the original’s obvious catchiness (and poppiness) in place. I can see a ton of people absolutely loving this.

Rise of the Northstar – A.I.R. MAX

Attitude – Integrity – Respect! Three words that characterize both Rise of the Northstar’s values since its beginnings and their new single, ‘A.I.R. MAX’, out via Kuromaku Corp Records.

Says Vithia (Vocals):

Attitude, Integrity, Respect… Taken to the max. That’s what my band is about, and that’s what we wanted to express in this track. ROTN has been around for over 15 years, and I’ve never changed my stance, never followed trends, never watered down our style to fit in. I respect my childhood dream: from the beginning, ROTN has been a mix of Rap-Metal-HxC with Neo-Japanese imagery and it will stay that way. Radical since Tokyo Assault, everyone hands in the air: A.I.R! A.I.R!

Adds Eva-B (Guitars):

While writing A.I.R. Max, I wanted to go back to our roots, back to the WelcAme era. Catchy, groovy riffs with a laid-back attitude. This track stands out from the first two that have already been released, and it’s here to remind everyone that even though our sound is evolving, the DNA remains the same.

What a great band Rise of the Northstar are, and what a mighty new track this is. One with catchy riffs, thumping beats, and ‘in your face’ vocals. From the moment it begins, it grabs the attention, and it doesn’t let go. Very energetic, very groovy, and very memorable, it’s not a complicated track, but damn it, is it lovable. Check it out here.

HRTLSS – To Dust

Cambridgeshire alt-metal risers HRTLSS gatecrash 2025 with their explosive new single ‘To Dust’, a track that cements their reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting heavy prospects. ‘To Dust’ is an introspective deep dive into cycles of self-destruction, blistering self-awareness, and the impact of toxic behaviours on relationships.

You can bank on HRTLSS to deliver something dripping with emotion and something with vibrant melody, but even then, this new track is something else. The more music they release, the more refined their sound becomes, and the more their alt-edge stands out. It’s a potent listen that has addictive qualities. Another HRTLSS banger through and through. Check it out here.

Within Reach – Drip Fed

This time last year, London / Essex teenage metal upstarts Within Reach put the UK metal scene firmly on notice with their huge single ‘Armageddon’. Following the release of Armageddon, they had a year of playing shows all across the UK, gaining valuable live experience and attracting enough attention to make it to The Final Ten of Kerrang Radio’s “The Deal” contest.

Having taken the time to craft their next move carefully, Within Reach now return with their new single ‘Drip Fed’.

Within Reach bassist Cam Gratton explains why Drip Fed is such an important song for the band and the journey they’ve been on to get the song released:

This song was such a struggle to put out, it was just countless setbacks and we knew we had something special with the track so we didn’t want to waste it. We got the final mix of the track back late last year, and after some resolving some issues and two music videos later, we finally felt like it was ready to be put out.

It definitely felt like a step into newer territory for us musically, and we wanted it to be the first track to push our sound forward. It’s got both some of our most melodic moments and the heaviest moments we’ve done so far.

We’ve been very slow with writing and releasing music but we finally feel like we’re at a place now where we’re able to put our focus into stepping into a new era of the band, and Drip Fed is just the pre-cursor to something really special that we’re beginning to work on.

A heart racing, blood pumping, and head banging blast, Within Reach have dropped another banger here. One with genre-bending ideas, a certain amount of mainstream alternative accessibility, and plenty of stompy intensity. The future of the heavy scene is in mighty good hands.

Those Once Loyal – Dirt to Gold

Those Once Loyal return with their brand-new single, ‘Dirt to Gold’.

The band describe it as follows:

‘Dirt to Gold’ was written in a time when Oscar (Guitar and Backing Vocals) started to feel a little lost about what he wanted to do, being content where he was but also not sure if that was the right thing to feel, which lead to the exploration of sonic styles in specific sections of the piece. The aggressive dynamics of the breakdown and verse sections show instability in personal choice, the clean simple yet refreshing chorus, signify clarity and being OK with not being sure what you want but knowing that is OK. This song was as an outpouring of a deeper personal struggle which led to the completion of the song Dirt to Gold, in its musical form.

A bit of an epic, metalcore style, from Those Once Loyal. This new single punches hard; delivering powerful riffs, crunching drumbeats, vitriolic vocals, and a chorus that soars to some degree. They’ve always been a band with passion infused into their sound, but this is a bit of a step-up, especially as it has a meaty breakdown with some clever sonic layering. Check it out here.

Softcult – 16/25

Ontario-based modern grunge sibling duo Softcult are set to release their debut full-length album, ‘When A Flower Doesn’t Grow’, on 30th January 2026 via Easy Life Records. The album marks the duo’s boldest and most vulnerable work yet, written during a period of upheaval and self-discovery. It is both a cathartic unravelling and a powerful reclamation of identity, showcasing Softcult at the height of their creative powers.

Explains vocalist Mercedes Arn-Horn:

I was rootbound. I was disappearing, shrinking, withering away. The truth is, nothing can thrive in an environment where it is stifled.” That spirit of resilience and defiance runs throughout the record, which confronts cycles of abuse, systemic oppression, and toxic conformity while offering a message of empowerment and growth.

To coincide with the announcement, Softcult have released their new single ‘16/25’, offering another glimpse into the album’s introspective and fiercely honest world.

Talking about the single, Mercedes shares:

This song is about the predatory behaviour of older men who groom younger women. It points out the double-standards and impossible expectations the patriarchy places on young women in our society, and the cognitive dissonance that older men who prey on young female targets perpetuate while trying to possess and control them.

A band that never disappoints, Softcult’s new single is a powerful one (especially if you listen to the lyrics), and one with expertly showcased experimental catchiness. They have such a unique sound, yet it’s all so familiar too. Alternative, but not like any other alternative band either. This is three brilliant minutes that fly by in a haze of dreamy melody and lively rockiness. Check it out here.

Orbit Culture – Nerve

‘Nerve’ is the fourth single taken from Orbit Culture’s new album, ‘Death Above Life’, that is scheduled for a release on 3rd October 2025 via Century Media.

The band comment:

With ‘Nerve,’ we’re leaning back towards the older Orbit Culture sound, blending in cleaner choruses and a twist at the end. This track has been with us for years – we just didn’t know what to do with it, especially since the verses felt a bit uncharacteristic for us. But that’s exactly what we ended up loving about it. Visually, the song felt too ‘larger-than-life’ for a standard performance video. After years of bouncing ideas with Miles Skarin at Crystal Spotlight, we knew this was the perfect track to bring into a fully realized 3D world.

I think it’s clear now that this new Orbit Culture album is going to send the band into the stratosphere and this latest single just adds even more weight to that statement. Especially as it’s a bit of a step back to their more melodic metal past, albeit twisted by their modern refinement and accessible ways. It’s as familiar as it is fresh, and that is what continues to make this band so special. Are you ready for the full album now?